The present invention relates to recloseable credit, business and identification card holders.
Plastic cards of about the standard size 3.375xe2x80x3xc3x972.125xe2x80x3 include credit and debit cards, xe2x80x9csmart cardsxe2x80x9d as widely used in Europe, identity cards, gift certificates, and other such cards for a variety of uses. Such small sized plastic cards are not only found in potential use for virtually every economic and identification aspect of daily life, but in many cases are the only interface acceptable in such transactions or identification. The verb xe2x80x9cswipexe2x80x9d has been transformed from a larcenous definition to a transaction based one. Storing and organizing these cards in a compact and convenient way has been an increasing problem. Many hotels now issue magnetic type key cards to guests when they check in to the hotel. Quite often these key cards become entangled and confused with other items that might be in their pockets such as money, keys, other credit cards, and miscellany. Additionally, there currently seems to be a trend for people to go about their daily activities carrying just a few small plastic cards (such as credit, ATM, and drivers license cards) along with a small amount of money.
The prior art, although related, has been especially directed to devices for the storage of paper money.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,098 discloses a portable folding receptacle of wallet format, made from a plastic material and being especially suited as multi-purpose portfolio, it is proposed to connect two half-shells by means of an elastic, integrally formed back hinge comprising longitudinally extending ridges with interposed film-joint hinge elements permitting smooth opening and closing of the receptacle. The receptacle may be equipped with folding inserts, in the manner of a book, or may be equipped in its interior with a ringbook mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,329 discloses a compartment formed from the assembly of a bottom panel, a top panel, a right side panel, a left side panel, and a rear panel. The compartment is suitably sized so as to retain a multiple number of credit cards which are inserted into the compartment through a front opening and which are arranged inside the compartment in a stack and with a same physical orientation. The cards are securely retained inside the compartment by an integrated retention clip, and the cards are extracted from the compartment by means involving an integrated notch. A money clip affixed to the compartment provides a means for the retention of foldable paper currency.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,909 discloses a money clip, made from clear extruded plastic, which is adapted to hold not only currency but has a compartment to hold a document such as a driver""s license or credit card and may also have a pouch affixed to one of its sides to hold a spare emergency key such as a car door or house key.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,680 discloses a card holder with magnifying glass that includes at least one holding part in which cash cards, business cards or so on are put and which is enclosed with sheets. One of the sheets has a lens which is used in order to read small letters on the cards or others.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,031,773 and 2824591 disclose xe2x80x9copenxe2x80x9d case money holders which comprise open edges and have a book cover-like construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,575,030 comprises a wallet device with a money holding clip within a hinged closeable holder.
It appears untreated in the prior art to provide some form of security for these devices that hold the object of highest money value to a user. The above devices can easily be forgotten (and often are), may be easily lifted (swiped) from a user""s pocket or dropped from the hand of a user to the ground in a sudden collision or in handling several objects at once.
The present invention comprises a latchable enclosure for the above small plastic and business cards as described above. The invention also comprises novel support and carrying means for paper currency.